On September 29th, the iconic Beaujoire stadium in Nantes will host the clash of the sixth round of French Ligue 1 between FC Nantes and AS Saint-Étienne. The two clubs have faced off 105 times in their history, with their most recent encounters taking place during the 2021/2022 season. Nantes claimed a 1-0 away victory in one match, while the reverse fixture ended in a 1-1 draw.
Nantes
Nantes have started the season impressively, currently sitting in 5th place in Ligue 1. The Canaries have only suffered one loss, a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Reims. They secured victories over Auxerre (2-0) and Montpellier (3-1), while their matches against Toulouse (0-0) and Angers (1-1) ended in draws. The team’s defensive structure has been solid, and they have shown consistency in grinding out results against tough opposition. Accroding to 1xBet the odds of Canaries being victorious are 1.842.
Saint-Étienne
The return to Ligue 1 has been far from smooth for Saint-Étienne. The “Saints” have only managed to earn three points from a surprising 1-0 victory over Lille. However, the rest of their matches have been disheartening, with losses to Monaco (1-0), Le Havre (2-0), Brest (4-0), and an embarrassing 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Nice in their most recent fixture. These results leave Saint-Étienne languishing near the bottom of the table, second to last in Ligue 1, and struggling to find their footing. Being the underdogs of the upcoming clash the odds of Saint-Étienne victory are estimated by 1xBet at 4.865.
Player to Watch: Moses Simon
One of the standout players for Nantes this season is Nigerian winger Moses Simon. Fresh off a successful AFCON 2023 campaign, where he won a silver medal with Nigeria, Simon is regarded as one of the most influential Nigerian players in Ligue 1. He recently celebrated his 150th Ligue 1 appearance during the 1-1 draw against Angers, continuing to demonstrate his impact on the field. Simon has started the season brightly with two goals and two assists, playing a crucial role in Nantes’ attacking play.
Related article: Moses Simon’s Salary and Stellar Performance at FC Nantes in the Spotlight
Keep an eye on Simon during the match as he looks to make a decisive contribution. The odds for him to score against Saint-Étienne are favorable, highlighting his importance to Nantes’ offensive game plan.
Prediction: Nantes vs Saint-Étienne
Given Nantes’ strong form and Saint-Étienne’s struggles to adapt to Ligue 1, a home win for Nantes seems the most likely outcome. Nantes have been steady in both attack and defense, while Saint-Étienne’s defense has been leaky, especially after the recent heavy loss to Nice. Nantes will be looking to build on their positive start to the season, while Saint-Étienne desperately needs to find solutions to avoid further disappointment. However, all signs point to Nantes having the upper hand in this encounter, with the odds according to 1xBet favoring a Nantes victory at 1.842.
